First brew jitters

I wouldn't call the secondary thing a controversy. It makes my beer clear without using additives like Irish Moss (health issues - look it up, carrageenan) or Whirlfloc (same issue). And is keeps the in-bottle lees very compact. I like both.

But many people don't use secondaries. It's a matter of personal choice.

About your cloudiness, as long as it is sanitized, there should be no issues whatsoever.

I see Star-San goes bad. Makes me glad I use Easy Clean! I have never had a contamination problem, wine or beer.

Well tommorow will be 2 weeks and about to bottle ive moved my carboy in racking position tonight so I dont stir it up right before I rack to my bottling bucket. Ive reached an ending gravity of 1.016 and that's in the range the kit says so im excited to get my beer in the bottle its by no means clear its really dark and at the bottom it has a layer of dark which I think is grains and a layer of white which im assuming yeast? Also I plan on using just a bottle of water to mix with the priming sugar

Hope you left all that stuff in the bucket behind in your bottling. It's generically called "trub."

Your beer will likely further clarify in the bottle.

Oh yea I left it behind and gave it to the pigs lol I got 46 bottles out of it

jswordy said:

I wouldn't call the secondary thing a controversy. It makes my beer clear without using additives like Irish Moss (health issues - look it up, carrageenan) or Whirlfloc (same issue). And is keeps the in-bottle lees very compact. I like both.

But many people don't use secondaries. It's a matter of personal choice.

.

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I rack out of primary into a carboy. I cold crash.
Then just prior to bottling I rack off the sediment into another carboy than bottle.

For the record I use the AI1 to rack, along with a long hose so there is no splash racking involved.
Cold Crashing helps clear the beer.
No idea what I will do in the summer time!

Elmer what time frames are u talking about in each fermenter? Or are u going off sg readings?

Elmer said:

I rack out of primary into a carboy. I cold crash.
Then just prior to bottling I rack off the sediment into another carboy than bottle.

For the record I use the AI1 to rack, along with a long hose so there is no splash racking involved.
Cold Crashing helps clear the beer.
No idea what I will do in the summer time!

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If you cold break well at the wort chilling phase and hustle those temps down fast, my understanding is that it should have the same effect. I've used cold crash on wines in a fridge a lot, but have not tried it with beer. It generally is not cold enough outdoors here to do it.

jswordy said:

If you cold break well at the wort chilling phase and hustle those temps down fast, my understanding is that it should have the same effect. I've used cold crash on wines in a fridge a lot, but have not tried it with beer. It generally is not cold enough outdoors here to do it.

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I thought about using my chest freezer for a short period of time. Get it really cold and pull it out.
Of course this would require me to empty everything in the chest freezer. Figure out how to carefully lower & raise a glass carboy into the freezer.
Finally I would have to find storage space for all the frozen food!

SWMBO was not thrilled with the idea!

So my beer has been bottling carbing for a little over a week now when should I start putting some in the fridge and when. Can k finnaly enjoy it? Lol the suspense is killing me!!!!

I would put 1 in the fridge now. Let it sit for 24 hours so that the CO2 goes back into solution. Then try it. If anything it will give you an idea as to where it is in the carbing process. Some beers can be ready in 2 weeks, some 3. It will also give you a taste as to whether it needs to sit longer (tastes green).

jamesjr said:

So my beer has been bottling carbing for a little over a week now when should I start putting some in the fridge and when. Can k finnaly enjoy it? Lol the suspense is killing me!!!!

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My first batch I tried at:
1 week, was unimpressed & disappointed. (watery flavor and not very carbed)
2 weeks- it was carbed and getting better
3 week- it was what a pale ale should be. the flavors come together and it was good.

I would suggest trying them at different stages to get an idea of where it is at, during the process.

Just like drinking green wine!

jamesjr said:

So my beer has been bottling carbing for a little over a week now when should I start putting some in the fridge and when. Can k finnaly enjoy it? Lol the suspense is killing me!!!!

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It has taken a minimum 2 weeks for mine to be worth cooling and testing (at 3-4 oz prime) and nearly 3 weeks (~19 days or so) for it to be really carbed good.

Like with my winemaking, I taste it at every stage of the entire process.

I agree to taste it once a week to reaffirm what has been told to you and how to recognize where it is at.

Even with a 3 weeks ferment and 3 weeks bottled it doesn't always work out correctly. Hence, the value of a hydrometer.

When I bottle conditioned, I found it to be 4-6 weeks to be a safe time to know that it's complete.

Wow I thaught ive replied already sorry guys any how I have yet to put any in the fridge ive been b uisy with work and this pig that's been getting out of his pen EVERYDAY well dont have to worry about him now after tonight. I plan on putting a few in there tommorow as its been over 2 weeks now ive been drinking Newcastle laitly as that's what this is supposed to be similar to to kinda get a feel for this style to tell if I did ok but my beer is extremely darker than the Newcastle.

After 12 days in the basement (61F) I put a few bottles in the fridge.
I drank the next day, they were carbed and just fine.
But I am impatient.

Elmer said:

After 12 days in the basement (61F) I put a few bottles in the fridge.
I drank the next day, they were carbed and just fine.
But I am impatient.

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That's a little surprising that they carbed up in less than two weeks at such a low temperature. Usually mine take 2+ weeks even at 68-70F.

Well there it is my brewers best nut brown ale. Im very pleased. It says it supposed to resemble a Newcastle but I'd say between Newcastle and Guinness. Good roasted flavor ok body. I was hoping for more head retention but overall for my first brew im Damn proud

Looks great. Congrats!

jamesjr said:

Well there it is my brewers best nut brown ale. Im very pleased. It says it supposed to resemble a Newcastle but I'd say between Newcastle and Guinness. Good roasted flavor ok body. I was hoping for more head retention but overall for my first brew im Damn proud

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How much prime sugar did you use?
How many gallons of brew?

I always use 1/2 oz more then recommended, simply because I like a ton of head!